Milano’s Teatro alla Scala is the most famous Opera House in the world and an unrivalled destination for music aficionados. Start your tour from the exterior to admire Piazza della Scala with its monument to Leonardo da Vinci. Opposite the Theatre is Palazzo Marino, seat of Milano’s City Hall.

The Gallerie d'Italia museum - dedicated to Italian art from 19th century to the present day - can be found on the left side facing the landmark Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the city’s sumptuous ‘sitting-room’, and a place for theatre-goers to socialise while enjoying a drink or a meal.

On La Scala’s opening night, the first show of the season which is held every year on December 7th, the feast of St. Ambrose, the star-studded invitees - impeccably dressed in evening attire - all parade through this foyer, beneath the glittering crystal chandeliers.

Consider yourself an invitee and enter this opulent antechamber, which will lead you inside the hallowed Opera House.

You are inside the Theatre, where legendary names such as Giuseppe Verdi, Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, Carla Fracci and Luchino Visconti - singers, actors, conductors, dancers and directors - have all made history by gracing this stage and presenting some of the best performances worldwide.

Gaze in wonder at the Palco Reale, a vantage point for the invited worthies on the opening evening of the season and don't forget to raise your eyes to the ceiling and admire the central chandelier: its brightness is due to the incredible number of lightbulbs, it is said one for each day of the year.

Throughout its history, La Scala Theatre Museum has preserved countless memorabilia of the unforgettable artists, composers and conductors who have contributed to the Theatre’s glory.

You can enter three of the rooms that conserve these heirlooms: Sala dell'Esedra, Sala del '900 and the well-stocked Library.

From May 7th 2020, the Teatro alla Scala shares its most precious treasures with audiences around the world on the Google Arts & Culture online platform.

As you browse the online collection, thanks to Street View you can opt for a stroll around the theatre (with 69 tours to choose from!). Step up onto the stage ​like an opera diva, discover everything about Luciano Pavarotti's performance in "Aida", enjoy a ballet from a privileged position on P​alco Reale, browse the Laboratorio Ansaldo, where artisans create incredible stages, backdrops, props and almost 1,000 costumes every year, including those designed by famous names such as Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent. With Art Camera, you can even zoom in on the exquisite and most intricate details of the garments - to admire ivory brocade, golden cabochons, black velvet or ruby mirrored sequins - as worn by the operatic diva Maria Callas.​

You can indulge in the luxury of browsing more than 259,000 digitized images from the theatre archive, including the sketches and pages of a rare handwritten edition of Puccini’s T​urandot​ score, or the first edition libretto of Giuseppe Verdi's N​abucco. You will also be able to delve into the genius of the artists whose innovative works have graced the Theatre's stage, including D​avid Hockney and Giorgio De Chirico​.